Six top destinations

Hong Kong: £299

Cathay Pacific from Heathrow. Must be booked by February 22. Valid for departures March 1-31. Minimum three nights, maximum three months. Bridge the World (0870 4441716, bridgetheworld.com).

New York: £175

United Airlines from Heathrow. Must be booked by January 27. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Thomas Cook Flights Direct (0870 7520066, thomascook.com).

Los Angeles, San Francisco: £249

Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow. Must be booked by January 27. Valid for departures until March 26, then April 26-30. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Quest Travel (0870 4423513, questtravel.com).

Sydney: £594

Cathay Pacific from Heathrow. Must be booked by February 22. Full payment required when booking. Valid for departures until March 21. Minimum stay seven nights, maximum one year. Airline Network (0870 2349912, airlinenetwork.co.uk).

Paris: £57.60

BMI British Midland from Heathrow. Must be booked online (£5 extra if booked by phone 0870 6070555). Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year. BMI British Midland (flybmi.com).

Amsterdam: £85

British Airways from Manchester. Must be booked by January 27. Valid for departures January 17-March 26, then April 10-June 15. No minimum stay, maximum 12 months. British Airways (0870 8509850, ba.com).

The pick of the rest

Auckland: £549

Cathay Pacific from Heathrow via Hong Kong. Must be booked by February 22. Valid for departures until March 21, then April 16-June 30. Minimum stay seven days, maximum one year. Trailfinders (020-7937 5400, trailfinders.com).

Marrakech: £199

GB Airways from Heathrow. Must be booked by January 27. Valid for departures until March 26, then April 10-June 15. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. British Airways (0870 8509850, ba.com).

Alicante: £49

Monarch Airlines charter from Manchester. Departs January 17 for seven nights. Avro (0870 4582847, avro.co.uk).

Dubai: £252

Lufthansa from Heathrow via Frankfurt. Must be booked by January 18. Full payment required when booking. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Airline Network (0870 2349916, airlinenetwork.co.uk).

And the rail alternative

Paris/Brussels: £59. Lille: £55

Eurostar from Waterloo or Ashford. Must be booked at least 21 days before departure. No advance booking required for Saturday or Sunday same-day returns or trips including a Saturday night away. Eurostar (08705 186186, eurostar.com).

NB Fares can change rapidly. These were available in reasonable quantities at the time of writing, but they can sell out in a sudden rush.